STEPHEN'S GREAT SERMON
                                                    Acts 7

  I.  Stephen was the man with the face of an angel who had false charges
      brought against him.
      A.  He was accused of blaspheming God.  Acts 6:11
      B.  He was accused of blaspheming Moses.  Acts 6:11
      C.  He was accused of speaking against the Temple .   Acts 6:13
      D.  He was accused of speaking against the Law.  Acts 6:13

II.  Stephen preached a sermon as his defense against the charges.
      A.  He preached his defense against blaspheming God.
           1.  He covered history from Abraham to the Israelites slavery in Egypt .
                Acts 7:2-8
           2.  Then he covered the history of the Patriarchs.  Acts 7:9-16
           3.  Stephen showed the providence of God next.

      B.  He preached his defense against blaspheming Moses.
           1.  First, was Moses' 40 years in Egypt .  Acts 7:17-28
           2.  Next, came Moses' 40 as a shepherd.  Acts 7:29
           3.  Then, came Moses' 49 years as a Law giver.  Acts 7:30-37
           4.  Stephen showed that Moses prophesied about Jesus about whom
                Stephen preached but in whom the people did not believe.

      C.  He preached his defense against blaspheming the Law.  Acts 7:38-43
           1.  Stephen believed in the Law of Moses.
           2.  The Jews never respected or kept the Law, even when Moses
                was on Mt. Sinai receiving it.
           3.  God sent the Jews to captivity in Babylon because they did not
               keep the Law.
           4.  It was actually the Jews, not Stephen, who had blasphemed the Law.
      D.  He preached his defense against blaspheming the Temple .  Acts 7:44-50
           1.  God was with the Jews in the Tabernacle.
           2.  God was with the Jews in Solomon's Tabernacle.
           3.  The Temples of Solomon and Zerubbabel were torn down because
                of the disobedience of the Jews.
           4.  God is not in a building; He is everywhere.
           5.  The Jews were the ones who blasphemed the Temple , not Stephen.

III.  Summary
      A.  Stephen defended his actions.
      B.  He proved that the Jews were guilty of the accuusations they had made
           against him.
      C.  He pronounced the Jews stiffnecked and rebellious just as Peter had done
           to the Jews in Acts 2.
The next lesson:  Stephen's sentence

Be back tonight at 6 PM for our evening Worship. Tonight will be our monthly
singing led by Tommy Thompson.